How Did It Happen?
by Red Blaze 16
Summary: What no criminal has succeeded in doing, a simple accident might. Will the Batman family lose one of their own? PreJason. Please R
1. Chapter 1

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I want to give special thanks to Mirror&Image and their story Crash, for it gave me a new plot bunny to revamp a story I had written more than a decade ago. This story focuses on Dick Grayson. Hope you guys like it!**_

How Did It Happen?

By Red Blaze 16

Chapter 1 

The day started like any other, though more beautiful than most. The sun kissed the streets of Gotham with light and warmth. Only mid-spring, the city was a comfortable 70 degrees. The people who call Gotham home found themselves out on the streets to enjoy the day and Dick Grayson was no different.

Having left high school early today, Dick decided to spend some of the afternoon riding the streets on his motorcycle, a gift for his 18th birthday from his guardian Bruce Wayne. Loving the freedom that came with the bike, Dick would spend any moment he could find on it.

_I should probably head home_, thinks Dick, as he turns down another street.

Glancing down at his wrist, Dick looks through his visor to check out the time. Realizing that he had been driving around for over an hour, he smirks at his behavior.

_I'm like a little kid with a new toy_, he thinks, shaking his head. _A really expensive toy._

Looking around, Dick flies through another intersection on a green light. Passing through two more intersections, Dick turns left and starts to drive out of the city. Getting closer to the city limits, Dick catches movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head to look, he watches as a woman is assaulted. Slowing his motorcycle down, Dick looks around to see if anyone is nearby to help the woman. Realizing he's the only one, Dick begins to slow down more, while still looking at the woman.

Wham! All of a sudden, Dick finds himself flying through the air. Crashing down onto the roadway, Dick hears the sound of smashing metal and then his world goes black.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

Rushing through the hospital, Bruce Wayne finds himself doing something that he hadn't done in years: praying. He had still been at work when Alfred had called him.

"_Sir, Master Dick has been in an accident!"_

Those words had chilled him to his bones. He had always known that pain and suffering could accompany the life that they lived as the Dynamic Duo, but he had hoped that a safety shield would remain around their private lives. He should have known better.

Reaching the nurse's station, Bruce waves at the nurse to get her attention.

"My…ward was just brought in here. Dick Grayson. Where is he?"

Looking down at her computer screen, the nurse with the nametag of Alice, glanced up once she had found the information.

"He's still in emergency. The doctor is with him now," she replies, pointing the way toward the emergency section.

Nodding his head, Bruce rushes off down another hall. Finding the hall opening up into another nurse's station, he walked up to the counter.

"I'm looking for Dick Grayson," Bruce says. "He was just brought in."

"He's with the doctor right now," a nurse answers him. "If you'll take a seat, the doctor will be with you shortly."

Clenching his hands in frustration, Bruce glanced behind him to see two rows of seats. Knowing he would never be able to sit down, Bruce paced the floor. Minutes seemed like hours. About ready to lose his patience, Bruce strides back toward the nurse's station, just as a middle aged woman with a white coat steps through a set of swinging doors. Glancing around the room, her eyes settle on Bruce.

"Mr. Grayson?" she asks.

"I'm Bruce Wayne, Dick's guardian."

Nodding her head, she points toward a side office and then waits for Bruce to enter the room. Sitting down behind her desk, she takes off her glasses and rubs the bridge of her nose.

"When can I see Dick?" Bruce asks.

"I have a couple of orderlies settling your ward into a room in the Intensive Care section. Once he's settled you can see him, though he won't know that you are there."

"What do you mean? What's his condition?" demands Bruce.

"Dick was in a motorcycle accident. He struck a car and the momentum sent him over the roof and down onto the pavement. He's lucky to be alive," she explains.

"But what's his condition?" repeats Bruce, getting worried that the woman wouldn't answer him straight out.

"He sustained a massive head trauma, even though he had been wearing a helmet," the doctor explains. "Your ward is in a coma."

"When will he wake up?" questions Bruce, rising from his seat to pace around the office.

"I don't know," she replies softly, then hesitates. "It's possible that he won't ever wake up."

"Not acceptable," replies Bruce, shaking his head. "He has to wake up."

Closing her eyes, the doctor pinches the bridge of her nose once more before opening her eyes to face the upset man before her.

"I will do what I can," she says, rising from her chair. "But you may want to contact whatever family he has."

Shaking his head, Bruce leaves the office behind. Blinking wetness from his eyes, Bruce heads for the Intensive Care section.

_How did this happen?_ he wonders.


	3. Chapter 3

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter is a dream.**_

Chapter 3

"Faster, Daddy!" cries the voice of a little black haired boy.

The chuckle of a man's voice could be heard from behind the little boy. Turning around on the top of the elephant that father and son are riding, Dickie stares up at his father in adoration.

"She's an elephant, Dickie, not a race car," the boy's father replies.

Shrugging his shoulders, the boy turns back to look around his world while sitting on top of the elephant.

"When will you let me try the ropes?" he asks his father, glancing once behind his little shoulder to make sure the man was still there.

"Soon, son," replies the man.

Settling himself into the arms of the man behind him, five-year-old Dick Grayson enjoys the feel of his father being near him again. _Again?_ thinks little Dick. _But I've never been away from Daddy. _

A sense that something was wrong floods through the child, a moment before his world goes gray, as the elephant and John Grayson fade away.


	4. Chapter 4

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Glad to hear that you guys are enjoying it, even if it's a sad story.**_

Chapter 4

Sitting in a chair next to the hospital bed, the red haired woman stares intently at the bruised face of the young, unconscious man. Folding her hands together, Barbara Gordan offers up another pray to join the ones she has already said.

"Wake up, Dick," she whispers into the empty room, as tears silently slide down her cheeks.

Hearing the sound of feet behind her, Barb turns at the waist to look over toward the door. She watches as an elderly man enters the room and joins her by the bed. Though the man's hair is a combination of gray and white, his back couldn't be straighter if he tried.

"Anything, miss?" asks the man, with a faint British accent.

"Nothing, Alfred," she replies, shaking her head.

Sighing, the older man closes his eyes for a moment. Opening his eyes once more, he stares down at the young man lying on the bed. Though he calls the boy "master", their relationship would be more like father and son.

"He's been like this for over a week," she continues, raising a hand to brush the tears from her cheeks. "Why won't he wake up?"

Shaking his head and shrugging, Alfred says nothing in reply.

"I haven't seen Bruce in a while," Barb comments, glancing up at the older man. "Can't he be bothered to show up?"

Hearing the anger in the woman's voice, Alfred hesitates to reply. Taking Dick's hand into his own, he gives a squeeze before releasing the hand.

"Master Bruce shows up during the night," replies Alfred.

"You mean, he shows up, don't you?" she questions, knowing that the older man understands her meaning.

"Yes," replies the older man.

Hearing the sound of footsteps in the hallway, both Barbara and Alfred look to the door and watch as a couple enters the room. Appearing to be only in their mid 30's, the blonde couple first look at Dick on the bed before turning their attention to Alfred and Barbara

"Excuse me?" says the woman. "Is this the room for the young man who was in the motorcycle accident?"

"Yes," replies Alfred, nodding his head. "Can I help you?"

"Well, I…I mean, uh," replies the woman, looking at the man by her side.

Stepping forward, the man shakes hands with both Barbara and Alfred.

"My name is Jon and this," pointing to the woman beside him, "is my wife Mary-Sue. We were in the car."

Realizing whom the couple is, Alfred nods his head.

"We're so sorry for what has happened," says Mary-Sue, wringing her hands. "We didn't have time to stop. He was just suddenly there."

"We decided to come by and let you know that he and you all are in our prayers," says Jon.

"Thank you for coming," replies Alfred, trying to keep a calm and polite face.

Finding that there is nothing else to be said, Jon drapes his arms around his wife and leads her from the room. For a moment, neither Barbara nor Alfred say anything.

Glancing once more at the boy, grown man, that he helped to raise, Alfred shifts his attention back to Barbara. "Why don't you get yourself something to eat? I will sit with Master Dick."

Nodding her head, Barbara stands up out of the chair and walks out of the hospital room.


	5. Chapter 5

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Another dream sequence.**_

Chapter 5

Swinging back and forth on the ropes, Dickie tests his balance.

"It's ok, Dickie," calls his father from another set of ropes. "I won't let you fall."

Nodding his head, the boy smiles. Building momentum, Dickie swings out and releases the ropes. Feeling his father's hands clasp his own, Dickie allows himself to swing with his father.

"Are you ready to go back?" asks his father, glancing toward the platform.

Staring up at his father in the eyes, Dickie shakes his head.

"I don't ever want to go back, Daddy," replies the boy. "I want to stay with you."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Beep. The high pitched sound woke Alfred from his light doze. Straightening in his chair, he glances up at heart monitor and watches the straight line scroll across it.

"Code Blue," he cries, jumping out of his chair and to the door. "Code Blue!"

Soon two nurses and a doctor stream past him and enter the room. As a nurse prepares the paddles for Dick, the doctor starts to manually pump the patient's heart.

"Ready," calls the nurse, with the paddles in hand.

Opening Dick's hospital gown, the nurse presses the paddles onto Dick's chest.

"Clear," the nurse calls out.

Shooting electricity into the patient's chest, the nurses and doctor watch the heart monitor. Remaining flat, the nurse prepares the paddles once again.

"Clear," she calls, as she places the paddles once more on Dick's chest.

Again, electricity enters Dick's body. Watching the heart monitor, a little blip jumps and Dick's heart starts up once more.

"My word," whispers Alfred softly, glancing between Dick and the heart monitor. "That was too close."

Stepping out of the room, Alfred waits in the hall. Standing just outside of the door, he glances down the hall to see Barbara running down it.

"What happened?" she cries, about to enter the room.

Holding her back, Alfred draws her away from the door.

"He's ok, miss," says Alfred.

Turning to face the older man, Barbara takes Alfred's hands into her own.

"What happened?" she asks once more, tears beginning to stream down her face.

"His heart stopped," answers the older man. "But the doctor was able to get it to start once more."

"Oh my God," she whispers, glancing toward the door. "Why is this happening?"

"I don't know," replies Alfred, shaking his head. "I don't know."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Standing outside the window to Dick's room, the dark shadow of a man looks through the window. Wanting to get closer to the young man within, Batman knows that he can't enter the hospital without drawing attention to himself and his ward.

_Alfred said his heart stopped._ The thought quietly slips through his mind. Shaking, Batman realizes just how close he came to losing the boy today. _Joker. Two-Face. Riddler. I always knew that death could happen by one of their hands. But a simple car accident? No! It can't end like this!_

Glancing once more through the window, Batman leaves the ledge and joins the city for the night. Helpless to protect his ward, he would take his frustration out on the city and the criminals that dared to dwell within Gotham.

…………………..

Opening the door, Barbara Gordan watches as the dark shadow leaps from the ledge outside Dick's window. Walking over to the window, she stares out and sees the dark shape swinging away.


	8. Chapter 8

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here's another dream.**_

Chapter 8

"Dickie, you don't mean that!" cries the dark haired woman standing in front of the boy.

"Of course I do," as he stamps his foot. "I want to stay here. Why can't I?"

"Dickie, you don't belong here," she replies gently, kneeling down to stare at her child in the eye.

"But Mom!" cries the boy once more. "The circus is where I'm supposed to be!"

"No, son," she replies gently.

Taking her son into her arms, she stands up and walks over to the only bed in their circus trailer. Cuddling her son close, Mary Grayson kisses her son's forehead.

"I love you, Dickie," she whispers.

"I love you too, Mom," replies the boy, as he burrows further into her arms.

"And though I love you very much, this isn't your world," she continues gently.

"But…" says Dickie, pushing away from his mother to stare up into her eyes.

"She's right, Dickie."

Turning in his mother's arms, Dickie watches as his father climbs into the trailer to join his family.

"You're still needed out there," continues his father.

"But this is where I started," says the boy, glancing between his mother and father.

"And where you will end one day," replies his mother with a smile. "But not today."

Slipping from his mother's arms, Dickie stands on the floor between them. Closing his eyes for a moment, he opens them to realize that his circus costume is gone. In its place, the Robin costume rests. Looking at his parents, he realizes that he is taller. No longer the five-year-old boy, a man stands in the boy's place.

"Mom? Dad?" says Dick, not wanting to take his eyes from his parents.

"We love you, Dick," says his mother, gaining to her feet.

Walking over to the man, Mary Garyson kisses her son on his cheek. Stepping away, Mary looks at her husband. Smiling at his wife, John steps up to his son and hugs him tightly.

"We're always with you," says John, before stepping back to take his wife's hand. "Always."

Nodding his head, Dick watches as his world turns gray and his parents disappear.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Opening his eyes slowly, Dick Grayson looks around the room that he is in. Not recognizing anything in the room as his own, it takes Dick only a second more to realize that he's in a hospital room.

Letting his eyes drift around the room, they come to settle on the red hair lying on his bed. Focusing his eyes, Dick sees the face behind the red hair and the sleeping woman.

"Barb?" he whisper, his voice hoarse with disuse.

Shifting, Barbara's eyes flutter and slowly she raises her head from the bedside.

"Dick?" she whispers, her voice almost too hopeful.

"Yeah?" he replies with a small grin. "It's me."

"Oh my God! Dick!" she shouts, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Drawn by the noise, a nurse enters the room. Taking one look at Dick and his open eyes, she rushes out to find a doctor.

………………..

Walking down the hallway of the Intensive Care section, Bruce and Alfred make their way to Dick's room. Not saying anything to each other, they barely pay attention to those moving around them.

Looking down the hall, Bruce watches as a nurse rushes from Dick's room.

"Dick!" he cries, rushing down to the hall to his ward's room.

Hearing the sound of footsteps behind him, Bruce enters the room at a run and stops dead inside the room. Pair of blue eyes stare at Bruce from the bed.

"Hey," says Dick calmly.

"My word!" cries Alfred, who had stepped around Bruce to enter the room. "Master Dick!"

Smiling at the older man, Dick turns his eyes back to Bruce.

"Bruce?" he calls.

Stepping toward the bed, Bruce just stands by the bed. Raising his eyes to look at Dick, the younger man watches, as his guardian's eyes grow a little misty.

"I'm ok," says the younger man.

"I know," replies Bruce, blinking his eyes to clear the dampness.

Raising a hand, Bruce places it on Dick's shoulder and gives a gentle squeeze. Understanding flows between the two men.

_Why do I have this feeling that something important happened while I was out?_ thinks Dick, glancing around the room and his loved ones. _I feel like I left something or…someone behind._

Shaking his head, Dick ignores the feeling.

Closing his eyes, Dick falls asleep, safe with the knowledge that his loved ones surround him. Just as consciousness steals away, Dick swears he hears the sound of a man and woman.

_We love you, Dickie, always!_

THE END

…………………………..

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok, well that's the story. Don't forget to let me know what you thought about it. **_


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